Lace



an. 1, 1952 s. w. SAM 2,580,843

LACE

Filed Dec. 27, 1950 Fly 17 23222 1 a; 25 2; 24 filyi'flyZFz z 27 1 3 D Q 7 w 19 19 5 5 15 15 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to laces, particularly, of the elastic rubber type of individual shoe laces for each pair of opposite eyelets of a shoe. This application is a continuation-in-part of my former application titled Lace Serial Number 10,826, filed February 25, 1948, which former application I abandoned in favor of the instant application Serial Number 202,905, filed December 7, 1950.

The chief object is to make such type of shoe. laces practicable.

Another object is to devise such. a shoelace whose flanged integial ends are, at first, conveniently drawable through the eyelets of a shoe and, finally, when the flanged ends are inanchorable position in relation to the eyelets of a shoe, the flanged ends are provided with conveniently applicable means to render the flanged ends not redrawable through the same eyelets during normal use.

Other objects and advantages become-apparent as the description proceeds.

I attain these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of" one form of the assembled shoelace;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ,ofrthe' principal member forming part of the same form of the shoe lace;

Figure 3 is an end view of the same form of the assembled shoe lace;

Figure 4 is an end view of the same form of the assembled shoe lace but differing from it in that the circular aperture '1 is substituted'for the narrow slit aperture I;

Figure 5 is an end view of the same principal member;

Figure 6 is a front view of the disk reinforcing member 3; v

Figure 7 is a side View of the same disk re-- inforcing member 3;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of an alternative form of the assembled shoe lace;

Figure 9 is an end view of the same form of' the principal member forming part-of the alternative form of the shoe lace;

Figure 13 is an end view of the'same principal member;

Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a third form of the assembled shoe lace;

Figure 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of the principal member forming part of the third form of the shoe lace but varied by having a different number and locations of the slit apertures.

Figure 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fourth form of the assembled shoe lace;

Figure 17 is an end view of the fourth form of the assembled shoe lace;

Figure 18 is a bottom view of the third form of the assembled shoelace;

Figure 19 is a bottom view of the principal member forming part of the third form of the shoe lace;

Figure 20 is a longitudinal sectional view of the principal member forming part of the fourth form of the shoe lace;

Figure 21 is an end view of the principal member forming part of the fourth form of the shoe lace;

Figure 22 is a side view of the spherical reinforcing member l9; s V

Figure 23 is a front view of the spherical reinforcing member IS; 7

Figure 24 is a side view of the separate elastic tubular member 5;

Figure 25 is a frontview of tubular member 5;

Figure 26 is an axial sectional viewof the split ring reinforcing member I5; and

Figure 27 is a front View of the split ring reinforcing member 15.

The shoe lace indicated in Figures 1 to 7 and 24 and 25' comprises a slender cylindrical intermediate supple elastic string member 4 which spans across from an eyelet to an opposite eyelet of a shoe and also comprises a pair of integral, thin, fiat, disk-shaped, supple, stretchable and hollow elastic members 2. Each hollow elastic member 2-is closed at its inner face and integrally connected at its inner face to each end of elastic string member 4' and comprises a very narrow slit aperture l at the outer face which leads into disk-shaped hollow 6 of the hollow elastic member 2'. The shoe lace also comprises a thin,'flat, disk-shaped, preferably but not necessarily resilient reinforcing member 3 whose'rim is rounded semi-circularly from face to face; whose entire surface is smooth and which fits snugly in hollow (i. Hollow elastic member 2 is adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive reinforcing member 3 through slit aperture I and to hold reinforcing member 3 when the hollow elastic member! has resumed its normal shape. Hollow elastic member 2, when containing reinforcing member 3, being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of the shoe lace through a shoe eyelet. The shoe lace also comprises a separate elastic tubular member 5 having a central hole 2|. Tubular member 5 has an external diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of a shoe eyelet and whose internal diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the elastic string member 4, so as to have a tight frictional engagement therewith. Tubular member 5 has an axial length substantially the same as that of a shoe eyelet and is located in contact with hollow elastic member 2 and is adapted to fit snugly in a shoe eyelet.

The alternative form of the shoe lace indicated in Figures 8 to 13 also comprises a slender cylindrical intermediate supple elastic string member 4 which spans across from an eyelet to an opposite eyelet of a shoe and also comprises a pair of integral, thin, fiat, disk-shaped, supple, stretchable and hollow elastic members 8. Each hollow elastic member 8 is closed at its outer face and integrally connected at its outer face to each end of elastic string member 4 and comprises an annular, very narrow slit aperture 9 at the inner face which leads into the annular hollow I2 of the hollow elastic member 8. The shoe lace also comprises a thin, fiat, circular, annular, resilient reenforcing member ID, having a central hole II to engage elastic string member 4, whose rim and hole edge are rounded semi-circularly from face to face, whose entire surface is smooth and which fits snugly in hollow I2. Hollow elastic member 8 is adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive annular reenforcing member ID through the annular slit aperture 9 and-to hold annular reenforcing member ID when the hollow elastic member 8 has resumed its normal shape. Hollow elastic member 8, when containing annular reenforcing member ID, being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of the shoe lace through a shoe eyelet.

The third form of the shoe lace is indicated in Figures 14, 15, 18, 19, 26 and 27 and comprises a wide, thin, fiat, supple, elastic string member I3 which spans across from an eyelet to an opposite eyelet of a shoe and also comprises a pair of integral, thin, flat, disk-shaped, supple, stretchable and hollow elastic members I6. Each hollow elastic member I5 is integrally connected at both faces to an elastic link I4. Links I4 are integrally connected to elastic string member I3. The axial length of elastic links I4 is less than that of an eyelet of a shoe. The width of the wide elastic string member I3 is sufficient to enable each upper elastic string member I3 to overlap each next lower elastic string member I3 like the shingles of a roof and thus are enabled to shed rain like the shingles of a roof. Each hollow elastic member I6 is indirectly integrally connected at both faces to each end of elastic string member I3 by way of an elastic link I4. One hollow elastic member I6 has two slit apertures 24 and 25, one at each face which lead into the hollow I! of the hollow elastic member IS. The other has one slit aperture 26 at its outer face. Each hollow elastic member IS in Figure has one slit aperture 21. One has a slit aperture I at its outer face, the other has a slit aperture 28 at its inner face. The purpose of the variation in number and position of the slit apertures as illustrated and described is to indicate some of the possible scope of variation in respect to a ertures and other features of the shoe lace. This shoe lace also comprises a thin, fiat, circular, annular, resilient split ring reenforcing member I5 having a central hole 22 to engage link I4 and split 23 and whose rim and hole edge are rounded semi-circularly from face to face, whose entire surface is smooth and which fits snugly in hollow II. Hollow elastic member I6 is adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive split ring reenforcing member I5 through slit aperture I and to hold split ring reenforcing member I5 when hollow elastic I6 has resumed its normal shape. Hollow elastic member I6, when containing split ring reenforcing member I5, being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of the shoe lace through a shoe eyelet. The opposed straight edges of the split 23 of split ring reenforcin member I5 are moved apart and one edge is inserted in split aperture I of hollow elastic member I6 and then split ring reenforcing member I5 is rotated to insert it in annular hollow I! of hollow elastic member I6.

The fourth form of the shoe lace indicated in Figures 16, 17, 20, 21, 22 and 23 comprises a slender cylindrical intermediate supple elastic string member 4 which spans across from an eyelet to an opposite eyelet of a shoe and also comprises a pair of integral, spherical, supple, stretchable and hollow elastic members I8. Each hollow elastic member I8 is closed at its inner face and integrally connected at its inner face to each end of the elastic string member 4 and comprises a circular aperture I at the outer face which leads into spherical hollow 20 of the hollow elastic member I8. The, shoe lace also comprises a spherical, thick, rigid reenforcing member I9 whose entire surface is smooth and whose corners are rounded and which fits snugly in hollow 20. Hollow elastic member I8 is adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive reenforcing member I9 through circular aperture I and to holdreenforcing member I9 when the hollow elastic member I8 has resumed its normal shape. Hollow elastic member I8, when containing reenforcing member I9, being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of the shoe lace through a shoe eyelet. The hollow elastic member I8 holdin reenforcing members I9 are intended to be located at the outer sides of shoe eyelets.

The various forms of the lace may be also used to lace together cuffs and may be used as a front and rear collar button and may be used as a holder of keys. Other uses are also conceivable.

I claim:

1. A shoe lace comprising a flexible and elastic string member, a pair of hollow elastic members each integrally connected to each end of said elastic string member and each having an aperture at a face, and a pair of reenforcing members, each said hollow elastic member being adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive each said reenforcing member through each said aperture and to hold each said reenforcing member when each said hollow elastic member has resumed its normal shape, each said hollow elastic member when containing each said reenforcing member being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of said shoe lace through a shoe eyelet.

2. Adapted for use as the principal component of a shoe lace as set forth in claim 1, in combination, a flexible and elastic string member and a pair of hollow elastic members each integrally connected to each end of said elastic string member and each having an aperture at a face; each said hollow elastic member being adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive a renforcing component through each said aperture and to hold a said reenforcing component when each said hollow elastic member has resumed its normal shape, each said hollow elastic member when containing a said reenforcing component being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of said shoe lace through a shoe eyelet.

3. A shoe lace comprising a flexible and elastic string member, a flange integrally connected to one end of said elastic string member, means to prevent said flange from passing through a shoe eyelet during normal operation, said flange together with said means being thin and fiat, a hollow elastic member integrally connected to the other end of said elastic string member and having an aperture at a face, and a reenforcing member, said hollow elastic member being adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive said reenforcing member through said aperture 20 and to hold said reenforcing member when the said hollow elastic member has resumed its normal shape, said hollow elastic member, when containing said reenforcing member, being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of the shoe lace through a shoe eyelet, said hollow elastic member while holding said reenforcing member being thin and flat during normal operation.

4. Adapted for use as the principal component of a shoe lace as set forth in claim 3, in combination, a flexible and elastic string member, a flange integrally connected to one end of said elastic string member, means to prevent said flange from passing through a shoe eyelet during normal operation, said flange together with said means being thin and fiat, a hollow elastic member integrally connected to the other end of said hollow elastic string member and having an aperture at a face; said hollow elastic member being adapted to be stretched out of normal shape to receive a reenforcing component through said aperture and to hold said reenforcing component when said hollow elastic member has resumed its normal shape, said hollow elastic member, when containing said reenforcing component, being adapted to act as a stop to prevent removal of said shoe lace through a shoe eyelet, said hollow elastic member while holding said reenforcing component being thin and flat during normal operation.

SAM WOMEN SAM.

REFERENCES CITED Country Date France Aug. 23, 1932 Number 

